Inspectors with Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority do a meter inspection. While New Mexico’s share of lead pipes in public water systems is estimated to be low, about one-third of water systems failed to turn in surveys of the issue for an October 2024 deadline. (Courtesy of ABCWUA)
Just over one-third of water systems failed to submit surveys to the State of New Mexico regarding the status of lead pipes in their water systems, despite a federal October 2024 deadline.
In 2023, the federal government tightened the limits on lead in drinking water and passed a new rule mandating that states replace all lead service lines in drinking water systems within a decade. The rule is fully in effect in 2027, at which point states will be required to submit replacement plans to address all lead pipes by 2037…